The 114 Club

The 114 Club is comprised of people, who desire to live until the age of 114. One possible qualification to join the club is to have parents who have lived long lives.

We have a running joke in my office about people belonging to the 114 Club. That would be a group of people, who desire to live until the age of 114. Some people have said they have no desire to live that long. They fear out living their family and friends and just do not want to be here on earth for such a long period of time. Others have been moderately interested. While others have jumped in with both feet and have made substantive changes to their lifestyle that would elongate their lives.

I recently read an article by Dr. George Lundberg, which talks about what one should do to live a long life. I share some of his thoughts and mine as we dare to join the 114 Club.

Well, it certainly helps if you have parents who lived long lives and died on natural causes in their older years of life (late 80’s or 90’s).

Skip the tobacco, no need to inhale. Make sure to maintain a normal body weight. Keep your blood pressure in the normal range and take your medication, if needed, to do that. Maintain a low resting heart rate.

Watch the sugar consumed in your diet. Stay away from as much of it as you can by avoiding sodas, limiting desserts, juices and the like. Watch out for processed foods. Eat a lot of leafy green vegetables that grow above ground, a few root vegetables, nuts and berries. Eat whole grains and make sure you have plenty of fiber in your diet, even if you have to add it. Drink plenty of water. Make sure you add magnesium, vitamin K2, D and C to your life. Watch the trans fats in your diet, use more olive oil, watch the vegetable oils. Eat two full meals a day and avoid in-between meal snacks. Watch the alcohol and never consume it before 5 p.m. Avoid all street drugs and watch the use of pain medications.

Sleep six to eight hours each night without the use of sleep medications. Exercise, walk up and down stairs, hills and mountains. Make it a point to continuously be active physically, socially, mentally and sexually. Have things in your life that you are passionate about. Never stop learning.

Value family life but encourage others to live their own lives, you have enough to do while managing your own life. Take charge of your health. See your dentist every six months. Take care of your skin and keep it moisturized. Take care of your vision. See your eye doctor on a regular basis. Make sure your immunizations are up to date. Have a long-term relationship with a conservative primary care provider.

Work on your balance. Try to stand on each foot for 15 seconds. Consider yoga and meditation.

Retirement is not for everyone. Work part time or volunteer. Make sure you have a productive and fulfilling reason to get out of bed each and every morning.
Ok, let’s get ready to live until the ripe old age of 114. See you there.

Dr. Veita Bland is a board-certified Greensboro physician and hypertension specialist. Dr. Bland’s radio show, “It’s a Matter of Your Health,” can be heard live on Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. on N.C. A&T State University’s WNAA, 90.1 FM. Listeners may call in and ask questions. The show is replayed on Sirius 142 at 5 p.m. on Wed. Email Dr. Bland at ideas@blandclinicpa.com.